Moments in Ithaka
by For Eden
Summary: Drabbles set in Reaching Ithaka's universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Moments in Ithaka  
**

**I. Romantic Interlude**

When Touya Akira and Shindou Hikaru first meet, there are no sparks, fireworks, or heart racing moments where thoughts of love, marriage, and forever more plagued the mind. In reality, the meeting between the two teenagers was brief and short, uneventful if anything else. A polite introduction had been made, a slight nod was given in acknowledgement before the whirlwind that was Hikaru left the Touya residence as the 4-dan entered, returning home after a tiring four day trip to Hokkaido.

The few encounters following the first had been equally as ordinary as the last. Each meeting came as something short, rushed, and fleeting. It was not until Hikaru and Akira found them sitting across from one another, a carefully crafted spruce goban placed between them did the two go players finally look and _see_. Grey eyes brightly burned into the depths of blue orbs, challenging him and consuming him until he knew nothing but _her_.

Suddenly, it was more than go that they were playing.

Akira never felt anything like this before. He became drunk off the sight of her: dark brown hair with sunlit streaks, pouty lips with a hint of peach gloss, long lashes and rosy cheeks. Something stirred with him and then all he wanted to do was touch her, to feel how soft her unblemished skin was, to let his fingers spin circles through her silky locks and then to hold her and never let go.

Hikaru felt her body grow hot and cold the moment that Akira's hand brushed against her skin. Thinking became too hard to do. The tips of his fingers moved on her like butterfly wings, fluttering gently from her face to her neck, hair, lips, _heart_ until she knew she had to stop him before he dominated her entirely.

She needed to consume him before he consumed her.

Hikaru took the wandering hand into her own. Her pink and white manicured nails flirted on his wrist, running circles around his lifeline and pulse. Her misty eyes were determined; her smile dazzled him completely. He was dizzy and breathless and all so very drunk on her.

She bewitched him entirely.

"I have lost."

The lull of his voice and the faintest touch of his lips to her hand made Hikaru realize that she had as well.

* * *

_I've been getting a lot of questions asking about the continuation of Reaching Ithaka. I must admit that I am still horrible road blocked on it. I have started the continuation, scrapped it, and started all over again many many times and still have nothing to show for it. Thus I decided to just post some of the tidbits that I wrote for it that is in that universe, but doesn't necessarily mean that it's really what is going to happen in the next part of the story. Hopefully that'll at least encourage me to write and at least give everyone something to read for now._

_Sorry for the delay. Hopefully I can get something going soon!_


	2. Chapter 2

As requested by a fan. I like to thank everyone for their wonderful, wonderful comments to me throughout the years. I'm so sorry with how poorly my promise of a sequel came to be. I have tried to write so much but the words don't flow out so well. Also, excuse my grammar/spelling/everything. I'm so bad at this. Hopefully I'll get my grove back with writing.

Until then, here's a drabble.

* * *

**How Ko Yongha and Shindou Hikaru were matched against each other in the North Star Tournament**

"She's cute," was Ko Yongha's shameless explanation about why he wanted to play second board against Japan at the second official North Star Tournament, much to the distress of his fellow teammates and coach.

Hon Su-yong couldn't help but roll his eyes at his fellow teammate's shenanigans. Last year, Yongha caused some drama when an interview he gave was misunderstood and caused many to be upset. This year, changing boards would be interpreted it as a complete snub on Japan, especially with the Akira-Yongha rematch being the talked about game of the event.

"Could you not stir up any trouble for once?" Su-yong moaned. He could already see how poorly this was going to go. Even so, he was going to have to try anyways.

"Didn't you say you wanted to play Touya Akira?" Yongha countered. There was a resolve in his voice that made everyone in the room groan.

"I want to play Hikaru as well!"

"Oh? Hikaru, huh?"

From the other side of the room, An Tenson, Korea's coach, was rubbing his temple, trying to relieve himself of the impending headache.

Touya Akira was looking like a grump; Yongha observed the Japanese pro sulking on the other side of the room. He couldn't help but be amused by the daggers the other teen was glaring at him since it had been announced that Yongha would not be playing First Board. This now pitted Touya against Su-yong and he against Hikaru.

Yongha had been looking forward to the match immensely. Though he did mention to his teammates that he wanted to play Hikaru because of her looks, he was actually intrigued by Shindou Hikaru. Two years ago, he had the honor of playing against Touya senior. The respected former professional had compared him to his son but fondly mentioned his female student as well.

Since he had played the son, it was fitting to move on to the "daughter".

"Though Akira-san really wanted a rematch," Hikaru spoke to him in passing. "I'm quite glad you're my opponent."

He took note of the way her lips quirked and her eyes burn brightly with determination.

"Your words about Shusaku last year… they made me very upset."

It had been Shindou's victory.


	3. Chapter 3

**Where Touya Kouyo Meets Shindou Masao**

Touya Kouyo did not like Shindou Masao. There was a lot to be said about a young girl who seemed to be striving for the attention of a male figure in her life. At first, Kouyo had thought that Hikaru's father had passed away but as time went by, he had realized that he was alive but mostly absent. From what he had gathered, the Shindou-san was constantly working and spent little time trying to get to know his daughter.

That was why it had been a surprise to Kouyo when Masao entered the discussion room at Hikaru's Beginning Dan exhibition game. The man arrived as stiff lines and a sharp, brief greeting before taking a seat at a table where Kouyo wasn't quite sure if you could even see the screen from.

He pushes his attention back to the game Hikaru was playing against Ogata, his eyes inadvertently turning to the form glued to his smartphone. This lack of engagement and interest makes everything click: Hikaru's eagerness to please, the way she seems to blossom from affection and praise, her want to share her experiences with him. It's everything she's ever wanted from her father but did not receive.

It breaks his heart. Kouyo cannot imagine not having those moments with Akira. Parenting has been his biggest accomplishment in life – there was no greater gift to him than Akira. He holds the memories he has of his son dear to him and cannot fathom what must run in Shindou Masao's mind when he chooses to distance himself from his daughter.

Something in him nearly snaps when, after twenty minutes, Shindou Masao makes his leave before the game is over. Kouyo attempts to dissuade him otherwise but the business man clearly has his mind made up and makes a hasty retreat.

There is a burning fury that sweeps through him. Kouyo wants to drag Masao back in the room and tell him to just sit there and wait. To see his daughter and at least tell her she did a good job or to let her know he was watching and that he sees her.

He doesn't do it. Instead, he stops, takes a deep breath, and pushes the anger out of him. There was little control he had over the situation with Hikaru and her father. The only control he truly had was over him, and right now he had a game he needed to watch and a girl he needed to either praise or comfort at the end of it.

* * *

This was meant to be reverse actually – I meant to write about Shindou Masao getting introduced to Touya Kouyo at the exhibition match but I just couldn't get the flow quite right – I guess I just have a lot more practice writing in Touya-sensei's POV.

Pretty much Hikaru's father comes but he feels awkward. He understands how he hasn't been in Hikaru's life and rather than try to fix it, he just retreats – especially after hearing some of the Go players tease Touya-sensei about his precious "daughter". In the end, he loses Hikaru even more from his cowardliness but thankfully, Touya-sensei is willing to pick up the slack.

Thanks to everyone for being patient. I still haven't had a clear plot in my head, but I'll write more tidbits when they come into mind.


End file.
